The CEO's Regret: His Lost Wife's Secret Twins novel Chapter 175

Chapter 175

ARIA

8༠

The crisis is passing! His vital signs are finally climbing!” she exclaimed.

Elizabeth grabbed my hands, squeezing them tightly. “Arya, you saved my son’s life. Thank God for you!”

I pulled my hands away and took a deliberate step back from Blake’s bed, putting distance between us. “I did it for you, Mrs. Morgan. Not

for him.”

The emphasis wasn’t subtle, and Elizabeth caught it immediately. Her gaze darted between me and her son’s ghostly pale face,

understanding crossing her features.

“Of course,” she said softly. “In the future, things like this… I won’t burden you again.”

“You really need to watch your health, Mrs. Morgan,” I said, changing the subject. “Your stomach issues won’t get better if you skip meals.

It’s way too late to miss dinner.”

My concern seemed to hit a nerve. Elizabeth’s eyes welled up instantly. “God, you sound exactly like my former daughter-in-law.”

I felt my body stiffen. Just great.

“At first,” Elizabeth continued, voice trembling, “I was so awful to her. So judgmental.”

I kept my face carefully blank, fighting the urge to run from the room.

“When she needed help the most, I failed her completely.” Elizabeth’s voice cracked. “If I’d just supported her when she wanted out… everything might’ve been different.”

“Mom, stop.” Blake’s unexpected rasp cut through the tension. “What happened with Aria wasn’t on you. It was all me.”

I turned to him, shocked he’d bring this up now of all times.

‘I kept her trapped,” he continued, each word seeming to cost him effort. “I selfishly kept her from being with her father when he needed

her.

My father. Aaron. The wound reopened instantly, raw and bleeding.

“I never trusted her, Blake admitted, his sunken eyes seeking mine. “Never understood what she was going through. I’m sorry, Aria. It was all my fault… I’d spend the rest of my life making it up to you if you’d let me…”

The silence that followed was deafening. So now he wants to apologize? After everything?

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14:24 Mon, Jun 15

Chapter 175

Some things can’t be fixed. My broken spirit. The constant pain in my spine from the accident. The nightmares that still wake me

screaming.

I turned away, keeping my face emotionless. ‘Mrs. Morgan, that’s ancient history now.”

3.4

Blake lowered his eyes, a ghost of a smile on his cracked lips as he accepted my coldness.

The tension was suffocating. Blake clearly knew I wanted nothing to do with his apologies or the past. Elizabeth looked lost, sensing the currents between us but not understanding their depth.

“Arya,” Elizabeth broke the awkward silence, “would you join us for lunch? The hospital food’s not half bad these days.”

I noticed Blake’s hand tighten into a weak fist at the invitation.

‘I’m really not hungry right now, so…” I began, already looking for escape.

“But you just lectured me about eating regularly,” Elizabeth countered with a warm smile. “Do you have somewhere to be?”

I didn’t actually have plans, but I’d rather walk barefoot on broken glass than spend another minute in the same room as Blake. My mind

raced for an excuse.

“Arya! I’ve been waiting forever! What are you doing in here?”

The air instantly froze. I turned to see Matthew standing in the doorway, grinning broadly.

‘Matthew,’ I blurted out stupidly.

“Seriously? Whatever happened to ‘baby’ and ‘sweetheart’?” He stepped in, shaking his head dramatically.

I nearly choked.

Elizabeth’s eyebrows shot up. Matthew, Arya… are you two together?”

Before I could stop him, Matthew wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “We’re definitely a thing. Not married yet. He winked confidently. “She’s crazy about me started with the pet names right away.”

From the corner of my eye, I caught Blake’s jaw clenching so hard I thought his teeth might shatter.

Matthew pulled me into his office for lunch. After we finished, it started pouring and I didn’t have an umbrella. As if this day couldn’t get

any worse.

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14:25 Mon, Jun 15